Something that has helped me be successful in reaching my goals (in life as well as in dog training) is the ability to split them into tiny bits and then work on those little bits without losing motivation. There’s a lot to unpack in this sentence! Good dog trainers always say “break it down” but they rarely actually do it and show you how. They show you an impressive speedy progression & the finished product. Breaking things down is slow & methodical, not fast & flashy. When breaking things down, it’s difficult not to push harder for progress; which almost always backfires on you. We say “split don’t lump” but at any specific moment in training it’s not always clear what’s splitting & what’s lumping. That’s what I’m here for! I can see it! I feel like my superpower as a trainer is the ability to spot places where training can be broken down even more to get things back on track.
The main issue with splitting is not that it doesn’t work; it definitely does. The main issue is that people get frustrated with the rate of progress, or with their inability to see measurable change. It’s there, but not clear & obvious. So what do they do? They push harder and lump. Then they experience a setback and get even more frustrated about the process. This leads to pushing even harder or to giving up. Neither of these is helpful. It’s a negative spiral.
You really need someone to guide you through the early steps of training, when you truly cannot see any progress. That’s what I’m here to do! My job is to see where you are making progress and where you need to make changes. In addition, my job is to support you through the process and help you stay motivated to keep going even when things don’t feel like they’re working. Remember, that’s MY superpower! Over all my years of training experience with thousands of teams I can see things that aren’t obvious to you (yet). And I want to make it easier for you in any way I can.
My motivation is seeing your progress; even when that progress is tiny. I know what can grow from success in those little teeny baby steps. So as I often say “be the turtle”, and trust that slow & steady is the best way to move forward.
Today is your last chance to grab my 3 week foundation course “Your Cooperative Care Journey Starts Here!” Take advantage of how I’m breaking down the early steps that you don’t even know you need! As an aside, I am absolutely loving this 3 week format. It’s enough time to make progress, but not so much time that you lose your drive & focus. I think it’s a great timeframe.
Deborah Jones, Ph.D. is a retired psychology professor who now trains animals full-time. She has been training for 30+ years and focuses on positive reinforcement based methods. Deb has written 13 books on dog training and has helped develop several DVD series way back in the day. She has also trained and shown multiple breeds to high level titles in agility, rally, and obedience. She is currently teaching online training classes, workshops, and webinars at www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com. Her latest project is the Cooperative Care Trainer Certificate course. Visit her website at www.k9infocus.com for her blog and more information.
Deb Jones, PhD literally wrote the book to cooperative care. Cooperative Care: Seven Steps to Stress-Free Husbandry is a practical guide that helps you prepare your dog for all the necessary physical procedures to keep him healthy and happy!
Yes!! I see this with my students. Often, they miss seeing the place where something can be split smaller because they are inside the process. Having outside eyes on the learning process, whether those eyes belong to an instructor or a video camera, often makes the “lump” visible.
I like how you put this as being inside or outside the process. Having that bigger perspective is so helpful!